Red Lentil Soup

February 29, 2012

How is it that lentils are conspicuously absent from the traditional Midwest American diet? Neither Alex nor I remember eating them much (if ever) as children. It’s a shame, since they’re delicious and bursting with nutrition, not to mention budget-friendly.

Just looking at their bright, happy color can cure any case of the winter blues (though we’re had such a mild winter here in Indiana there’s not much need)!

The unfortunate part of red lentils is that cooking them takes away much of the beautiful color – but the end product is completely worth it! (We found adding some paprika did help to liven up the color a bit.) While this soup is quite simple to make, it turns out with a complex and delicious flavor.

What takes the cake in this recipe is the garnish – don’t skimp on this one! We found that the combination of crunchy toasted almonds, fresh cilantro, and tangy lemon juice took the soup to a new level.

We enjoyed this as a first course for a lovely dinner with friends, but know we’ll be making it again soon for an easy weeknight dinner. Since the leftovers reheat well, it is also a great option to take to work for lunch.

If possible, soak 1½ cups lentils prior to cooking: place them in a large bowl and cover with several inches of cold water for about 12 hours. If you don’t have time, this step is optional; the lentils will just need to be cooked a bit longer in Step 5.

Chop the onion. Mince 4 cloves garlic. Chop the 2 carrots. Chop a bit of cilantro (if using for a garnish).

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and carrots and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes.

Add 1 quart broth and the lentils. Bring to a simmer, then cook until the lentils are soft, 10 to 15 minutes if soaked, or 20 to 30 minutes if unsoaked. When the soup is done, purée it using an immersion blender (or regular blender).

While the soup cooks, toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes (make sure to watch them constantly so they do not burn).

To serve, dish the soup into bowls. Garnish with toasted almonds, fresh squeezed lemon juice, fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Comments 45

I didn’t grow up eating lentils in New England either, and now they are one of my favorite foods. I was just thinking that we hadn’t had anything with lentils in a while and that it’s time to get them back on our menu! This soup looks gorgeous.

Lentils were absent from my diet growing up as well – which is somewhat surprising given my health-conscious pseudo-hippie parents – but I can’t get enough of them now! This soup looks simply delicious… consider it pinned ;).

I’m a Southerner, and I had never had lentils (honestly, had rarely even heard them mentioned) until I made your lentil tacos. Another region where they’re mostly absent, I think! You’ll just have to head up the revolution. :)

I love lentils and this is one of my favourite ways to cook them. This recipe is a definite winner. I like how you switched things up a bit by including paprika with the almond topping. I should try that next time. :)

Beautiful soup! I love red lentils but don’t use them often enough. I don’t remember having any kind of lentils very much as a kid either. I’m determined that it will at least be a little different for my kids :D

This looks fantastic! My husband had a bad experience with lentils almost a decade ago, and he refuses to eat them. HOWEVER – the fact that these are pureed and have the benefit of his favorite flavor profile. . . now we could be on to something! I am in love with this soup already – thanks!

here in italy they love their lentils! they serve them simply with a small pasta, but i’ll have to make a batch of this for my in-laws, it will open their lentil horizons like whoa! (i love your blog!)

It’s getting to be quite cold again in Australia now so this lentil soup is perfect for me right now. I always make a huge batch and then freeze it in portions for when I’m feeling cold, lazy and hungry.

I just made this and it moved to the top of my favorite soups! The lemon and cilantro really perfected the blend of flavors! I’m so happy I found your blog, it’s exactly how I’ve been trying to cook and eat…. I can’t wait to try another recipe.

Hi! The soup’s on the stove and I thought I could leave a comment while I wait :) Lentils may not be midwestern thing (I live in Ohio) but it definitely is a Middle Eastern thing (I am originally from Turkey). As a child I remember eating lentils -red and green alike- every week. It was a staple. And it really is delicious with lemon. Soups may be better suited to winter but I am making this (though it is June) because my two-year old loves it when I soak bread bits in soup and it’s a great way to get him to eat something nutritious. Glad I found your site!

I just wanted to say thank you for this recipe! I’m new to cooking and have been searching the internet for easy, healthy recipes to try – without much success. So far, this is one of the only recipes I’ve made again and again. Whenever I get discouraged by one too many “meal fails”, I turn to this soup because it has always turned out absolutely delicious! Usually I don’t bother to blend it. Tonight I’m going to try adding some spinach before serving. I haven’t tried any other recipes from this website yet but maybe that should be next! :)

This is so great to hear, Alison! We’re so glad this soup has worked so well for you as an easy and healthy meal! Let us know if you find anything else you enjoy — or have ideas on other items you’d like to see! So glad to connect.